Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1887-02-11
"It il Very High"


A special from Washington to the
Wheeling Register of recent date con-
tains the following:
Your correspondent met jefferson
county Democrat at the capitol to-day
and asked about the state of feeling out
there with regard to the Senatorial con-
test. He replied:
cit is very high. Our people are
about ready to hold mass meeting Of
Democrats for the purpose of calling on
our Representatives to resign. They.
feel some kindness for Mr.. Chew, for he
is fair mar, and it is believed that
when he learns that he is not represent
ing his constituency in his action he
will do differently. Jefferson Democrats
are pretty evenly divided on the Camden
and anti. Camden issue. The lines were
drawn in our primaries last summer and
the difference in the two votes did not
amount to two hundred. Mr.. Camden's
manly course throughout the entire
contest has won him many friends, and
he would carry the county at another
primary election. Wea expected Lucas
and Chew to vote against Camden, but
when the news came chat they had not
only refused to enter party caucus,
but had refused to support majority
composed of nearly three-fourths Of the
Democratic members, our indignation
knew no bounds. can safely say that
one-half the Democratic members OF
Jefferson county favor Mr.. Camden's re-
turn to the Senate, while the other half,
though he was not their first choice, re-
gard him as the nominee Of their party
and consider his right to the election.
They all severely censure the course OF
their delegates. AS an evidence of the
unanimity Of the Democrats of Jefferson
on this point will mention to you that
i'm one precinct (Shepherdstown) where
at the election about 40 Democratic
votes were polled $50 or more than
nine. tenths of them have signed petit
ton to Lucas and Chew to stand by the
caucus nominee. l think the other
kickers will find that their constituents
are about rs nearly unanimous on this
proposition. These men in the Legis-
lature are not representing the senti-
ment of the Democrats who elected
them. Do you suppose Democrats are
going to elect men to office whom they
know to be opposed TO one of the most
sacred principles of Democracy, the rec
ognition of the will Of the majority?
What would be the use of party Or
ganizatien without this cornerstone?
Democrats throughout the eastern
Panhandle are catching Oh the signifi'
canoe of the fact that about all the en-
eouragsment they ever receive comes
from the Republicans. But one Demo-
cratic newspaper in the State endorses
their action, though several were opposed
to Camden. Or the other hand the
Republican press and managers are
flattering them into the belief that they
are performing a great service to the
State. If we had thought it necessary
to send some one to the Legislature to
assist the Republican party in its efforts
to disorganized the Democracy we
would have sent straight Radical in
stead of the men who have always pro-
fessed to be Democrats and who's. party
fealty we had never until now doubted.
| hope the caucus men will remain true
to the last to their nominee. TO yield
an inch now would be to succumb to
the foolish minority's wishes. They
should hold out until the minority is
made to feel the force Of the party sem
timent in their counties. A majority of
their constituents may not hold Mr..
Camden as their first choice, but an
overwhelming majority do not want to
see the usages Of the party violated,
and they regard Carnden as the regu-
larly and fairly nominated candidate Of
the Democratic party. believe reflect
the sentiments of nine-tenths of the
Democratic party in Jefferson and every
other county"